Hayden has Form to Perform at Indy
Marlboro Ducati’s Nicky Hayden is looking forward to this weekend’s Indianapolis MotoGP round. The second home meeting of the season for the American was the source of much joy last year, when he took 3rd position. The record books show that Nicky usually performs strongly in the USA. Can he do it again?
What a difference a year makes. Nicky Hayden comes to round 11 of the MotoGP championship in 6th place in the series with 99 points, just 5 less than he scored all season long in a terrible 2009 which saw him finish 13th in the final standings.
The changes to the Ducati Desmosedici GP10 and a year with the team to grow familiarity with his crew has transformed his performance. Hayden started the year with a string of four 4th places in the first 5 races (he crashed out in Italy) beating Casey Stoner his team mate in the points standings until recently. His worst finish this year (apart from the single DNF) is 8th. By contrast in the first 10 races of last season, Haydens’ best finish was 8th with him finishing as low as 15th.
Last year he was racing for another chance on the Ducati which his 3rd place no doubt helped ensure. This weekend he arrives knowing he will be a contracted Ducati rider once again in 2011 (the formal announcement is expected during the weekend). Speaking about the weekend he had this to say:-
“My broken wrist is better than last week in Brno, which I am very happy about, so we’ll see on Friday just how much better,” he stated. “The weather looks good so I hope to come out strong from the gun on Friday and have a weekend worth remembering. Let’s get it!”
Team Manager Vittoriano Guareschi is hopeful Hayden receives a reward for his hard work and progress in 2010.
“This is one of the most important races of the year for Nicky and definitely the one he looks forward to the most,” said the Italian. “He finished third last year and considering the big steps forward he has made this season, coming close to the podium on several occasions, we hope he can be celebrating a similar result.”
link: MotoGP.com
Nicky has always raced well in the States. His first race victory came in 2005 at Laguna Seca and he won again there in his 2006 championship year. He finished 5th this year like last year. At Indy, Hayden placed 2nd in the inaugural running at the Old Brickyard and took 3rd on the Ducati last year.
Can he do it again? Well it may be difficult. Last year both Pedrosa and Rossi crashed out whilst Stoner was out with his health issues. This year Stoner is back, Pedrosa is looking for the victory that eluded him last year and Ben Spies is looking to take the top American spot. Nevertheless don’t count out the Kentucky Kid, no matter what Wayne Gardner says.
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